The use of fireplaces is widespread throughout this and other countries. The use of fireplaces inherently encompasses many hazards and nuisances, but as well has many benefits. These benefits include heat and entertainment. However, due to the expense of firewood, the inconveniences associated with chopping one's own firewood, retrieving the firewood from the outside when the fire begins to burn down, and continually cleaning ashes from the fireplace, several alternatives have been sought to replace the log-burning fires. In an attempt to replace these fires, obtaining all of the attributes of a wood fire has been difficult in that no substitute has been able to affect the proper color, size, and movement of a wood-fueled flame, along with the smell and sound of burning wood.
Gas has been commonly used to produce flames in a fireplace and has been used in combination with several different artificial logs to attempt creating the illusion of a real fire. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,291,116 issued to L. P. Brooks on Dec. 13, 1966; 3,042,109 issued to R. H. Peterson on Jul. 3, 1962; 3,817,686 issued to L. M. Quittner on Jun. 18, 1974; and 4,883,043 issued to I. Thow on Nov. 28, 1989. Several artificial logs have been designed to cooperate with such gas systems such as those discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,377,229 issued to L. E. Bryan on Feb. 12, 1965 and Des. 241,408 issued to J. G. Matchulat on Sep. 14, 1976. As taught by the Brooks Patent 3,291,116, and as is well known otherwise, the use of gas requires the adherence to strict regulations imposed by the American Gas Association. Not only are specific regulations imposed, but the use of gas is inherently dangerous in that faulty plumbing, whether by age, design, construction, or abuse, may create leakage of gas, thereby causing asphyxiation, an explosion, or both. The flame produced by burning gas is usually undesirable as well due to a limited flame height and the shape of the flame being a finger as opposed to a sheet. Gas also is insufficient to reproduce the sound and smell of a wood burning fire.
Other devices have been produced to simulate wood burning fires such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,993,430 issued to R. O. Forker on Nov. 23, 1976 and 4,076,490 devices teach a non-combustible log designed to carry a replaceable fuel source such as internally contained liquid fuel, canned heat products such as "Sterno", and candles. Such devices, though, provide for the specific location of a flame such that the effect of a real flame, that is a random size and location, is lost, as well as other characteristics previously discussed.
Yet another group of devices have been made to simulate a wood burning fire such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,060,396 issued to J. V. Burton on Nov. 29, 1977; 4,169,709 issued to J. F. Stima on Oct. 2, 1979; and 4,326,854 issued to J. D. Tanner on Apr. 27, 1982. These devices are combustible simulated logs typically used in conjunction with wood fires as a starter. Such starter logs produce sufficient heat and flames to burn alone for several hours, yet, if burned alone, the atmosphere of a stack of logs is lost.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a means for simulating a traditional wood burning fire while maintaining the integrity of the characteristics associated therewith.
It is also an object of this invention to provide an artificial fireplace setting which may be used with a selected fuel source which provides a higher degree of safety than does gas.
Another object of this invention is to provide an artificial fireplace setting which may employ a fuel source readily available and economical.
Still another object of the present invention is to employ a fuel source which may be easily ignited, yet may be stored more safely than gas.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide for a fuel source which requires only periodic cleaning of the fireplace.